Dawn's Embrace
by Angelic Oblivion
Summary: [SxI] The winged angel in blue runs off with a mystery guy, Squall is in a slump, a certain cowboy tries to help the young leader with his problems while his dark past catches up with him. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Disclaimer: FF8 chars aren't mine. I'm just gonna borrow them for a while.. sneaks off with Squall and Irvine :P If you don't like shounen-ai/ yaoi please press the back button now.

Edit: I have revised the whole chapter so that the dialogues are no longer confusing.

He woke up to the sound of the rain. September had come, so had the endless pitter patter of the heavens. He was irritated at how warm it had been before the downpour as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. The dream had visited him again. The visions while he slept were like a relentless itch that he couldn't help but scratch. The clock on the bedside table read 8:15. "_Shit. Xu won't be too pleased with this." _he thought to himself. Squall had been in a slump in the past couple of months. Rinoa had left him for another guy. Though no one knew who the guy was, the slayer of the evil Sorceress certainly was not happy. The young brunette put on his usual black leather jeans, plain white shirt and black leather jacket. _"This is not the time to feel sad and depressed" _Squall sighed as he idly fixed his hair using his fingers.

The young Garden leader had several duties to accomplish that day and the depressing downpour was not of any help. As soon as he thought he looked presentable enough, he raced out through the door with the report he finished the night before when crash! The papers he carried with him were all over the floor. "Man. Sorry 'bout that Squall." A very surprised cowboy exclaimed. Squall hurriedly picked up the papers as he hissed "What are you still doing here? I thought you were going back to your Garden today?" Irvine helped the leader reorganize his report and replied "I was 'bout to get on the car to town when Sephie asked me to help her find you and tell you that you're late for a meeting or something." Irvine mused as he massaged a bump on his head as he continued "Anyway, I didn't expect you'd still be in your room." Squall mumbled some inaudible words that sounded like 'I know I'm late you idiot' and dashed off to the 3rd floor office leaving a confused Irvine behind.

"What's wrong with Squall these days? He still ain't over Rinoa is he?" A cheerful Irvine asked as he juggled empty water bottles in the cafeteria in attempt to impress the girls sitting at the next table. Quistis sat across the flirting cowboy. The self-proclaimed Squall expert fixed her glasses as she said "Squall has never trusted anyone as much as he did Rinoa. It will be more difficult to get through him now than ever before. He thought he could finally open up to someone." Little Selphie had been drinking some orange juice beside Irvine. She has been full of energy as usual but the topic made her whine "Yes! Yes! He has been drowning himself with stuff regarding the Garden. He didn't even give me the chance to talk to him after we discussed the theme for this year's ball." The man with spikey blond hair sat in between Quisitis and Selphie and was trying to consume large bites of hotdog as he spoke "I…agr…ee. We…need…to…do something about this." Selphie had enough of Zell's lack of table etiquette as she screamed "You pig!" The cowboy threw one of the empty bottles towards Zell's direction. The fighter caught the bottle…right between his eyes. "Damn you Kinneas!" The man with blond hair man shouted as he stood in his usual fighting stance. "Both of you stop!" Quistis exclaimed. "Squall needs us now. Let's help him through this phase he is in." The former instructor has always been bossy and perhaps, she will always be. Although she once admitted that the love she felt for the gunblade master had been for that of a little brother, the concern she shows for him now may be different with Rinoa out of the picture. The girl in the yellow dress stood suddenly. "Quisty is right. Squall definitely needs help. Let's get him a shrink!" Selphie energetically suggested as she did her anime poses. With eyes wide open at the shock at what the girl just said Zell then argued "A therapist? Are you insane! I don't think he'd tell his own mother he peed in his pants. He'll never agree to that." Selphie thought for a while then finally said "At least I tried." The gleeful girl answered and stuck her tongue out at the hot-tempered fighter. "Wait. I have an idea." The auburn-haired man said as he pulled the front end of his hat downward, covering his face. The excited Selphie smacked him on the head with her nun chucks. "Stop acting so cool and tell us about your plan." The three curious friends exclaimed as they surround the cowboy.

Squall's day had been long, busy, uneventful and tedious. He definitely had better days, he thought. He went through all the paper work like there would be no tomorrow. Although he plays an important role as Balamb Garden's leader he has always made sure that he would have time to do some training. He is still a SeeD after all. He has just killed his 30th monster in the training center that day and it has always been a mystery how the Garden replenishes the monsters the Garden kept for training students. _"Weak"_ Squall thought to himself. No creature will ever match up to the strong Omega Weapon that he defeated but ever since the Sorceress Wars had ended and the young SeeD leader got preoccupied with endless paper work, the young hero did not have the time to do SeeD assignments. Squall would have happily settled for "easy" battles with Ruby Dragons, Tonberries and Marlboros but work simply kept him away from challenging battles. sigh _"The thing I'd rather do now is get out of the Garden for a while and fight real battles and do some traveling and maybe…" _His thoughts trailed off. _"I shouldn't go there. I shouldn't think that. I am over that…I am…Really." _

"Having another one of your personal monologues again I see." A female voice said from the entrance of the training area. Squall turned and retorted "Instructor…". Quistis chuckled at the formality of the leader's exasperated tone as she said "When will you ever stop calling me that? It has been a long time since I lost my teaching license." Squall was becoming impatient by the minute so he asked. "What do you want?" Quistis wanted to tease her former student but decided to suppress that urge. "Xu, Headmaster Cid and the students who took the final exam today are all waiting for you in the office." Squall had forgotten that tonight was when Cid would announce who passed and who failed the SeeD exam. Although it was not part of his job to attend such affair, he was still recognized as the Garden's leader and it had been an unwritten obligation for him to acknowledge the new SeeDs. Without saying another word, he walked past Quistis and headed towards the office.

Irvine had been waiting in the hallway to the dorms staring at the concrete floor. It was a cool and pleasant night. The moon was out and there had never been a clearer night sky than this particular night.

FLASHBACK (follows the flow of the game but not the exact conversation)

Caraway: The sniper team will wait with the crowd in front of the Presidential Palace while the Gate team will wait for the arrival of the Sorceress' Car. Good Luck.

As Quistis' team went off to their designated post, the leader and the sniper waited for the parade to begin. The Sorceress, the city's honored guest, talked about stuff that bored Irvine to death. "Sure is a big event. Look at all the people and the beautiful women." The cowboy commented. Squall tried to ignore the cowboy as he ranted on about the specific qualities he liked in women. Sensing that the brunette was not listening he said "Hey Squall. Can I ask you something?" No response. Squall gave him the silent treatment. Irvine responded to the gesture by giving the other man his sad imitation of Puss-in-Boots' cute look in Shrek 2. "Tch. You're an embarrassment to Galbadia Kinneas…sigh Fine, make it short. What's the question?" Irvine felt he had broken a wall between him and Squall, but knowing how unpredictable Squall could be most of the time, he wasn't going to be too optimistic. "You like that Rinoa chick do you?" The team leader covered his face with a hand and shook his head in disbelief as he replied "That's a stupid question. We should be concentrating on our task to eliminate the Sorceress." And that was that. End of conversation with Mr. Killjoy. Irvine was still hoping to find traces of an answer by looking at Squall's facial expression but unfortunately the gunblade master could easily keep a straight face. The answer was pretty obvious to the sniper but somehow, he still wanted to hear it from Squall himself. _"I'm just curious, Squall. You don't have to get all serious coz of this. Hey, wait a minute…isn't that…"_

A young girl in blue appeared on the stage where the special guest made her speech. Without warning, the Sorceress summoned two beasts that were going to attack the poor senseless girl. "Squall, Rinoa is in trouble!" No response. "Isn't she your friend? Aren't you gonna to help her out?" the sniper cried out. Still no response "Squall!" Irvine shouted. "The gates aren't open yet." The leader finally said. The sound of the drums making a bizarre rhythm made the spectators restless and filled with excitement. The Palace gates opened and the dancers clad in colorful ethnic-like costumes commenced their dance. The parade had begun, Seifer and the Sorceress in the middle of it. The people present there were in such awe at the wonderful presentation before them. They were too preoccupied with the parade and the fireworks to notice the two men as they entered the Palace gates.

The sniper team, after saving the frightened Rinoa, eventually made it to the specified place on the carousel. When the time for them to act came, Irvine was freaking out. _"He likes her. I know he does and maybe…maybe even more. Damn it, this ain't the right time to think about this. I have a job to do and people are depending on me."_ The cowboy thought. Squall could see the anxiety in the sniper's demeanor so he asked"Don't tell me you're getting the jitters…?" Squall shattered the hit man's little world. Irvine looked at the leader's determined eyes and abruptly turned away as he continued in his silent contemplation. _"Although I had to persuade him to help Rinoa out with those Iguions, he would have saved her even if I had kept quiet."_ "I…I…I can't. I'm sorry. I can't do it." _"His lips…"_ "I always choke like this…" _"His eyes…"_ "I try to act cool, joke around but I just can't handle the pressure…" _"His entire being…"_ Squall eventually convinced the other man to shoot. _"Damn it. Why me?... Why him?" _Irvine whined in his head. Bang!

END OF LONG FLASHBACK

The auburn-haired man was not exactly sure why he volunteered to do this knowing that he would be the last person who could ask favors from the feared hero. "I really screwed up during that job in Deling." The gunslinger sighed. _"But you were able to convince Squall to try to cheer me up back in FH after Trabia went boooom! That should count for something."_ The hyperactive girl's voice echoed in Irvine's head. "Tch. I have always had that soft spot in me somewhere for little Sephie…I definitely should have left Balamb Garden when I had the chance this morning." The sound of footsteps made Irvine's heart skip a beat. _"He's coming."_ He thought.

Seeing the dark figure come into the light, Squall stopped in his tracks. "Why are you still here Kinneas? I thought you were supposed to report back to Galbadia today." Trying to act cool again, the taller man replied "Nah, I can stand another day or two here. You'll probably be missin' me like crazy the moment I board the train headin' for Galbadia 'coz that's the second time you asked me that today." The tired leader raised a brow at that remark and waved a hand at the cowboy as if to dismiss the topic. "Seriously Kinneas, what do you want?" Seeing Squall was not interested in making small talk he said"Can't take a joke eh? Fine, I'll get straight to the point then." The taller man cleared his throat. "Well, you see the gang and I…I mean Quistis, Zell, Sephie and I…we are all concerned about you." _"Isn't everybody?" _Squall sarcastically thought. "You're always mopin' around. You work and train. That's all you ever do now since she left." The cowboy paused and tried to reorganize his thoughts. Squall, getting more impatient by the moment roared "And the point of this conversation is?" Finding the right words, Irvine retorted "We just want you to cooperate with us during the ball tomorrow night." More annoyed than ever, Squall hissed "What made you think I would do such a thing as 'cooperate' with you?" The optimistic man scratched his head as he said "We all promise to give you a life time guarantee to never bother you again. All you have to do is be there for the duration of the ball." The tired leader got suspicious about the condition but the benefits were way too tempting. Squall wanted to be left alone. The leader finally said "I accept. Just make sure you keep your end of the bargain." The sniper saluted as he said "Sure."

The night went on with the gradual setting of the moon and the silent slumber of the stars as the darkness awaited dawn's embrace. What does the dawn have in store for the one who dreams those unrelenting dreams? As the dawn gently took hold of the night, a voiceless laughter escaped the sleeping cowboy's lips.

Author's Notes: Better? I hope so. It took me some time to revise this even though I only made a few changes. Thanks to Ionai for the constructive criticisms. I'll definitely do better next time. Comments and reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks for reading:D


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Dance beneath the Moonlight**

Disclaimer: FF8 characters are not mine. People who do not like shounen-ai/ yaoi please press the back button now.

Edit: I did some revisions so that the conversations are no longer confusing.

The room was filled with the cheerful voices of the Balamb students talking about their classes and the usual pure nonsense that early morning. The line for the cafeteria's special hotdogs was long as usual and the sweet aroma of hotdogs being cooked filled the air. yawn "I think this today is gonna be a really interesting day." The sleepy yet optimistic man with long auburn hair mused. Quistis, Zell, Selphie and Irvine were discussing their plan for their depressed leader. After spending the entire morning with the gang, Selphie was getting really worried about having her subordinates decorate the ballroom without her. "Are we done here? I'm sorry for rushing things here. I still have to supervise the preparations in the ballroom you see. I am after all in charge of Garden affairs such as the Garden Ball" The tall pale cowboy placed a hand on the tensed girl's head as he assured her "Stop worrying. We're done for now." Irvine and the gang had gone over the plans so many times that morning but the young ex-instructor was still not convinced that their plan would work. Quistis asked "Irvine, are you sure this is going to work? Knowing Squall, I don't think…" Acting cool as usual, Irvine mused "It'll work." Zell scratched his spiked blonde hair as he asked asked "Don't you think the effectiveness of the plan would depend on Squall himself?" The mastermind and well-known playboy contemplated for a moment before saying "I'll make it work." Irvine's last remark surprised everyone not because of the utter vagueness of the answer but the steel determination in the cowboy's eyes.

"Yo Squall!" The crimson colored haired man exclaimed. Tonight was Irvine's first ball at the Balamb Garden and like all of the other SeeDs that night, he was also obliged to wear the formal SeeD uniform, leaving his signature cowboy hat on. _"He looks good." _Squall said to himslef. In disbelief of what he just thought, snapped out of his contemplating form and said "I'm here. You can stop bothering me now." The cowboy's eyes glistened with delight at the unknowing leader. _"This is going to be fun."_ The cowboy thought mischievously. "There, there Squall. You shouldn't spoil this night. The fun has just begun after all. Now for the surprise" The taller man had a huge grin on his face that made the other man uneasy. Irvine gave the signal and a horde of girls appeared before the two men. Feeling triumphant, the playboy said with glee "You've been moping for way too long. It's time for you to live a little." The sniper motioned for the girls to do their thing. The cowboy always had the girls' attention and he flirted with most if not all of them. Although the well-known playboy never had a serious relationship with any of the women in Balamb Garden, the girls would do absolutely anything just to get him to go out with them.

The ever so nervous Zell was pacing about in a corner with the other members of the gang. "I doubt Squall is gonna stand this." Out of breath from running around the ballroom making sure the event went well, she said "Ohhh. This has to work. Squall will smile again." Quistis intended to remain silent but she couldn't help it as she argued "I honestly thought this plan is stupid considering it came from that playboy but we don't have much of a choice at the moment. We'll just have to trust Irvine on this."

As the night progressed, the cowboy was getting worried. He asked all the girls he knew that night to help him cheer up their leader in exchange for a date that he promised them. _"This is bad. Out of all the girls I asked to talk to Squall tonight, none of them had caught his fancy plus I owe a lot of girls a date now. Damn."_ The wielder of the gunblade has been ignoring the endless hordes of females before him. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to get away. Squall ran to the secluded balcony at the end of the ballroom. The girls were too surprised to go after him. "What's wrong with him?" They chorused.

The young leader began to drown in his thoughts once more when he heard a familiar voice. "Hey handsome. You're the best looking guy here. Would you like to dance?" His heart broke. _"Rinoa…" _The young woman with dark hair had a big smile on her pretty face. She had a short white dress on that night and her pale skin glowed in the bright moonlight. "Com'on Squall. Is this how you greet a friend?" _A Friend?_ Squall thought. Rinoa continued "I know we haven't seen each other for a while but that doesn't mean we can't have dance together right?" Squall turned away and remained quiet. "You're still hurting from the last time are you? I told you that it wasn't you. It's me. You don't have to be all depressed now. It's a beautiful night. You should enjoy life." The young woman spoke as if she did not have any care in the world. The hurting man was not sure whether the woman was trying to cheer him up or hurt him even more by talking about their past. Rinoa reached out her hand to caress the young man's face when the man finally spoke "Don't." That's all Squall could say. It took a lot from him to say that one word. He couldn't take it anymore. He was at his breaking point. The past months he spent being depressed at his past relationship with the woman before him made him think that nothing could hurt more but he was mistaken. The brunette man was shaking and Rinoa had noticed. The woman in white was about to envelope the man with her embrace when a silhouette of a man appeared.

Irvine had been eavesdropping from the entrance to the balcony where the two conversed. "I believe Squall and I agreed to dance together tonight." The cowboy said cockily as he fixed his hat. Rinoa was speechless at that remark. "Is this true Squall?" The Garden's leader simply turned away from the woman's stare. "I believe your date is waiting for you." The cowboy continued "Nida is quite a lucky guy." Rinoa glared at the man with auburn hair. She wanted to say something but decided to leave. When the young woman walked past the taller man, the sniper whispered "Don't give him false hopes."

Irvine walked up to Squall, quite unsure what to say or do. "Squall…" The shorter man stared straight into the cowboy's eyes and ran into the ballroom. The man with auburn hair followed the other man and caught his arm. The gunblade master tried to break free. The taller man was forced to wrap his arms around the other man to keep him still. Squall's eyes were moist from the tears he tried to hold back. People began to stare at the scene before them. _"Why now?"_ the playboy screamed in his head. Irvine panicked and tried to think of explanation to give the crowd that moment. The ballroom music was too loud for him to think clearly. "That's it!" Without a second to spare he led Squall to the middle of the dance floor and began to dance with the brunette. Irvine was a good dancer and Squall was not in the position to argue so he simply just let the cowboy lead him through the dance. People stared and murmured at what the two men did. Irvine was a bit embarrassed at what they were doing but when he caught a glimpse of Rinoa's envious expression, he felt strangely pleased.

"Damn. I thought we were done for back there." The cowboy mused as he and the brunette walked towards the dorms. Irvine walked Squall up to the door of the leader's room. The taller man just wanted to make sure Squall would not do anything desperate. The man with auburn hair put a hand on the back of his head and said "Hey, I'm sorry about the girls. I really thought that plan would work." Squall did not respond. Seeing that the other man was not in the mood to talk he bowed his head, a simple gesture to say good night. He was about to leave when he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind. Squall buried his face in between the taller man's shoulder blades and asked "Why?" Irvine simply chuckled at this and covered his face with his hat.

Author's Notes: I made a few changes and boy did that give me a headache. LoL. Comments and reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading:D


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: **Our Separate Ways**

Disclaimer: FF8 characters are not mine. People who do not like shounen-ai/ yaoi/ male to male please press the back button now.

Edit: I did some revision on this chapter as well. I got conscious when I wrote this. This time, I'm not holding back :D

That morning, the Garden was as lively as it had ever been. Female students had been murmuring and giggling all over the Garden halls. The news about what happened to their leader and a particular playboy the night before had spread all over the campus. From the different classrooms came different versions of the said event. A female upperclassman who was an Irvine fanatic claimed that Squall got upset at the cowboy for trying to score with his ex, Rinoa. Another female student who was a junior said that the men were having a secret affair. That particular claim made several girls feel excited yet disappointed at the same time. A guy from Squall's old class spread a rumor that the popular leader did not want Irvine to leave Balamb Garden because the sniper was an asset to the Garden. The insane rumors when on and on and there was nothing anybody could do to control the matter.

The notorious cowboy had spent the entire morning lying on the green grassland located behind Balamb Garden. He wanted to stay away from prying eyes of his curious fan club of women (and men). The sun was shining brightly and the warm light gently caressed his pale skin. The young man subconsciously touched his lips with his right index finger as he stared at the bright blue sky and tried to recall the events that took place the night before.

FLASHBACK

"Why?" The young brunette asked almost pleadingly to the taller man. Irvine took the front part of his hat down to cover his face as he tried to suppress a laugh. Squall was not pleased with the reaction from the sniper man so he decided to remove his arms around the other man's waist. The auburn-haired man turned around and stared into Squall's confused and sad eyes. "Why what?" Irvine asked. The Garden's young leader simply stared at the floor, trying to figure out what made him ask such a question. After an awkward few minutes of silence, Squall finally spoke. "Why did you pretend to care about me?" Irvine was speechless at what the other man just told him. "Squall…I…" The young sniper had difficulty articulating what he had in mind that very moment. The brunette continued with a sad tone. "I can take care of myself. I don't need anybody. I have survived being alone before why not now? I don't need your sympathy or your annoying women." Something within Irvine broke at that point. The cowboy hesitated but could not resist saying "You definitely have some issues, Squall. Secluding yourself from the world won't make things any better for you. You have friends in this world you know. You'll always have us to talk to." The wielder of the gunblade was once again trying to hold back his tears but now, these were tears of anger. "You don't understand." _Nobody ever does. Just because we all fought together once it doesn't mean you know me well enough to say that I have issues._ Irvine could tell the atmosphere had changed as he felt the brunette's anger. "That's exactly the problem Squall. You have this mysterious world of yours that nobody has ever been to...that nobody has ever been allowed in to. A lot of things go through your head but you never let any of those thoughts out into the open. This may have never crossed you mind before but some people you could trust do want to know what's going on in that head of yours. You have to open up because _I_ want to understand you better." Squall was getting very impatient now and the mood of the conversation had gone from bad to worse. He missed the part about Irvine wanting to understand him as a person. The agitated man was not going to take any more of this so he decided to dismiss the conversation by saying "I'm tired. I'm going to bed." The leader was about to open the door to his room when the cowboy's arm blocked his way. Irvine leaned on the wall with an arm in front of the shorter man as he said "People do care about you, Squall." The brunette was giving the taller man the silent treatment so the former had no choice but to make him listen. Irvine continued by saying "I care about you. Why can't you see that?" The silent man continued ignoring the cowboy. The sniper cupped Squall's face with his free hand as he whispered "I'll make you believe me, Squall." Irvine bent down and allowed his lips to brush against Squall's quivering ones. The kiss felt like a bullet going through the brunette's chest. Dazed by the taller man's action and overwhelmed by the emotional strain he had been experiencing during the past months, Squall collapsed on to the sniper's arms and instantly fell asleep. Irvine carried the leader in his room to rest and left. He continued to contemplate on what he did as he walked towards his room.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Irvy!" Selphie's cheerful high-pitched voice broke through Irvine's thoughts. The young woman ran towards him with a plain white envelope in her hand. "Irvy, the car that's gona take you to town is ready. Are you really sure you want to leave for Galbadia Garden today? Don't you think it's a little sudden?" Irvine placed a gentle hand on the young woman's head and replied. "I have to Sephie. I have a mission waiting for me there. I am still a sniper of Galbadia Garden after all." The female brunette pouted then said "Headmaster Cid asked me to give this letter to you. He wants you to deliver it to your client. What's your mission about anyway? Is there any way I could be of help to you?" Irvine took the note from the energetic girl. The cowboy inspected the sealed letter without opening it and finally said "I don't know much about the mission yet myself or who the client is exactly but I was told I'd get the details once I'm in Galbadia. Nah, I can handle this mission myself. I won't live up to my reputation as the best sharpshooter of Galbadia if I asked a busy body like you for help would I?" The sniper's childhood girlfriend was very disappointed to have her cowboy leave but she had no choice but to let him go do his thing. "Take care of yourself Irvy" the girl said as she waved a hand to the tall man. The playboy gave Selphie his most charming smile and kissed her on the forehead. "Bye, kiddo."

A bright ray of light entered the dark bare room of the Garden's young leader. Squall's old quarters had one window where he can view the green grasslands that surround the garden. A simple door stood opposite the window where the gunblade master enters every night and whenever he felt like he needed a nap. Squall never allowed anybody to come into his room except for that one time when Quistis, as the Card Club king challenged him to a card game. The room also had one very disorganized desk. The stack of papers on the table grew with each passing day. Although Squall appeared busy in the eyes of all the people in Garden, he had spent most of his work hours moping and staring into space. Opposite the desk, a single bed was positioned beside a wall. Squall had been awake before the sun rose but it was past noon now. He had spent the entire morning thinking about the events that occurred at the ball last night.

_Kinneas has done it this time. He could've just walked away when the stares became unbearable but what does he end up doing? Damn it. I was doing fine then. He should've just minded his own business. This is stupid. I have so much work to do now I can't stop thinking of him. –Him-. What is that bastard doing now anyway? He's probably flirting with the female students now. That idiot does whatever he pleases. He has no use in Garden. _Realizing the time, Squall rose from the bed and took a quick shower.

His mind was preoccupied as he walked towards the elevator area when he heard Selphie's childish voice behind him. "Squall! Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you." _Everywhere but in my room where I'll most likely be in. _Squall thought sarcastically. The hyperactive girl just continued by saying"Irvy left for Galbadia this morning. He has a mission waiting for him there. We don't know when he'll be coming back." _…He did? Of course he did. I guess he got bored with the women here._ "That's nice." Squall said coldly. The young woman tried to look for traces of sadness in the leader's eyes but his eyes always looked sad so she really could not tell. Giving up was not in Selphie's nature but she promised some junior students she would accompany them into the Fire Cavern that afternoon. "Anyway, I have to go now. I hope you're feeling better Squall." The female brunette was turning to leave when she suddenly looked at Squall again and spoke "You looked great in the ball last night. I mean when you and Irvine were dancing together. It was like a dream. Nobody could take their eyes off the two of you." The girl quickly left before the young man could reply. Squall had never felt so alone like he did at that point.

The wielder of the gunblade, Lionheart had been in his office for hours but he could not concentrate on anything so he did not get anything done. He managed to avoid talking to anybody who was curious about the night before but the papers were piling up on his large desk, Cid's old mahogany desk. Finally, after a few more documents, Squall gave up and decided to take a walk to in order to clear his mind. It was night time and the halls were once again empty. The cowboy's face unceasingly appeared in his mind.

_I can't believe this. He leaves without saying anything and now I can't even get him out of my mind. Just how much trouble are you going to cause me Kinneas? What the-_

Squall just realized that he was in front of the SeeD files office. This was the place where Balamb Garden stored records of its SeeDs' missions. _And just what are the chances that –His- files are in here? He's from Galbadia Garden._ The leader crossed his arms in front of him as he stared at the office door. _This is insane._ _If the door is lock I'll leave this case to rest but if it's open-_ The brunette pressed the button on the control panel beside the door and it opened with ease. _Great. _From where he stood at the door, the office was very small. There were no windows nor were there other doors. Squall entered the office and found terminals similar to what he used to use when he was still a student. The Garden did not keep hard copies of important records within the campus. The Gardens still had so many secrets even after the sorceress war had ended. The young leader of Balamb Garden had switched on a terminal and sat down on the seat in front of it. A bright screen appeared where several options were made available to him. As the leader of the Garden, he did not have trouble accessing classified data and soon enough Squall found what he was looking for. There was hardly any data on the cowboy since he was not a student in Balamb but the leader was not interested in the man's past…not at the moment anyway. The computer showed the sniper's recent missions and messages from Galabadia Garden._ That's strange._ Squall browsed through Irvine's messages that date back to the time they had defeated Ultimecia. _His mentors from Galbadia have been telling him to go back since the war had ended. Why didn't he just follow his orders? What has he been doing here these past months? _Squall then viewed the last message in the sniper's archive. _This is the last message Balamb has recorded. It was dated the day before the Balamb Garden Ball. _

_Galbadia Garden sharpshooter Irvine Kinneas Class A_

_The new appointed Headmaster Steiner insists that you be present during the briefing with our very important client tomorrow. Failure to attend will result to appalling consequences. You shall be charged with treason and shall be court marshaled thereafter. _

_Galbadia Garden Headmaster's Office_

_Irvine just left for Galbadia today. Is he going to be court marshaled? I doubt he told anybody about this. Selphie wouldn't have allowed him to stay even if it were for the ball. _Squall tried to look into the mission that the cowboy was supposed to do for Galbadia Garden but no details were given. Nothing was mentioned about the client, the location or the other Galbadia SeeDs that were going to accompany Irvine during the mission. The only information given was the large amount of money the mysterious client was going to pay. _That's strange. Garden isn't supposed to be a profit-driven organization. What's going on? _The young man's contemplations were disturbed when the door to the office opened. _Nowhere to hide…Headmaster Cid?_

A man in his forties entered the office and was just as surprised to see Squall this late. The younger man quickly switched off the terminal and walked towards Cid to salute him. "No need for such formalities Squall. It has been a long time since I retired from being the headmaster of Garden." The gunblade master stood at ease and waited for the other man to speak. Cid looked at the younger man, a bit curious of what he had been doing in this office this late. Feeling the awkwardness of the ex-headmaster's silence, Squall finally spoke. "If you don't mind sir, I will be returning to my dorm room now." The older man then replied "You're worried about Kinnease are you?" Confused, Squall tried to think of something to say that wouldn't lead the headmaster to think about what had happened during the ball. "Sir, I…" Seeing that the young man was becoming uncomfortable with the topic, Cid decided to talk about something else. "As you may already know Squall, Irvine Kinneas has been sent to do a highly classified mission." The young brunette could not help but interject "It's a very expensive mission sir. Why would Garden accept such task with the limited information given to them by the client?" It was obvious that Cid had been saddened by what Squall had said. The older and his wife intended for the Garden to be a non-profit organization that would work for the right reasons after all. Disappointed, Cid replied "Times have changed I guess. Galbadia has a new headmaster and although the Gardens all over the world vow to support each other in times of need, they function independently as you can see." Squall turned away at the older man's tone of defeat. "Squall, I was going to talk to you about something yesterday during the ball but certain events prevented me from doing so." Squall blushed at Cid's remark. The older man continued "I have a mission for you from Esthar. Of course it's not my place to order you around. I leave the decision to you." The young man was surprised at this. It had been a long time since he had bee given a mission. _This is just what I need. This will keep my mind off Him but wait, why me? _"If I may ask sir, why give the mission to me?" The older man had anticipated such inquiry from the young leader so he replied "The client is the President of Esthar. He specifically asked you to accompany him to a secret meeting at the Sorceress' Memorial" Squall was getting confused. _The Sorceress Memorial has been closed down since Adel has been defeated. The President already has his own bodyguards. Why would he need SeeD? _"SeeDs are not personal bodyguards nor are they hired for company. What exactly is the mission and who are the other SeeDs involved?" Cid smiled at the leader's reply and retorted "As I have said, the President of Esthar wants you to accompany him to the Sorceress' Memorial. No, there will be no other SeeDs involved in this mission." Squall shook his head at this but he knew he was in no position to refuse. Being a leader of Garden, it was his duty to set an example to the students. "Fine. Hand me the details tomorrow sir." Cid, again, smiled at this and watched as the younger man saluted him. The young leader then walked away into the empty halls of the Garden.

Author's Notes: Comments and reviews are appreciated. Thanks for reading:D


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: My Desert Storm**

Disclaimer: FF8 characters are not mine. People who do not like shounen-ai/ yaoi/ male to male please press the back button now.

The desert sun was as harsh as it had ever been that day. The coarse sand had been carried by the warm wind to whichever direction it pleased. Sand, that is all that the young man with auburn hair could see for miles. The cowboy had been driving the huge enclosed jeep his mysterious client had provided him. He had a lot to think about during this long and uneventful journey of his. Irvine still had no idea what his mission was but he was sure it involved a sniper rifle and a target. His mission was so classified that he was only to be informed who his target was when he had arrived at the given coordinates. Come to think of it, he was not able to see the faces of his client's messengers clearly. The men who delivered the very limited details of his task wore black suites and dark tinted sunglasses. The young sniper would not accept such a mission under normal circumstances but at this point, Irvine only wanted to get the task over with. His thoughts were abruptly disturbed when a strong gust of wind shattered the windshield of the jeep.

The jeep swerved to the right and came to a complete stop. "What the hell was that?" the cowboy exclaimed. A bit stunned but uninjured, the man got out to inspect the damage to his jeep. Another strong blast of air came out of nowhere. Irvine managed to evade it but it left a dent on the roof of the jeep. "An Elnoyle? I guess these creatures have become more aggressive since they've been driven out of Esthar." With his Exeter in hand, the gunman aimed for the beast's head. The Elnoyle charged at him, preparing its sharp claws for the kill. For a brief moment, a familiar face flashed in his mind. bang! Irvine missed. The beast was able to scratch his thigh. "Damn it. How could I've missed that easy shot!" Taking his aim once more, the sniper waited for the creature to charge at him. bang! this time the bullet went through the Elnoyle's head. Its body came crashing down on the sand.

"What in heavens is wrong with me?" He leaned on the jeep and sat down on the sand. _"The wound is pretty deep. I'm such an idiot. Selphie and the others would be laughing their heads off if they saw what just happened. Squall would be furious at me for being reckless."_ He paused at the last thought. Irvine took out the first aid kit from the jeep and treated his wounds as best he could._ Fighting is definitely more difficult without the help of the GF's._ He then heard a man's voice coming from the jeep's radio.

"Kinneas are you at point G now?" The injured man stood up and took the receiver. "I had some trouble with an Elnoyle. Can you send me backup?" The man on the other end of the receiver paused for a while then replied "No, that wasn't part of our contract. Get to point G now." That was the last thing the cowboy heard before the transmission ended. "Tch! Bastards." The injured man tried to start the jeep and the engine responded. "I guess I'm still lucky after all that." He drove off into the horizon, his wounded thigh still hurting.

Meanwhile, in the middle of nowhere the President of Esthar had been ranting on and on about his life and his misadventures with his loyal comrades. _"Laguna is always like this…so annoying."_ Squall thought to himself. The younger man could not take it anymore "Why did you hire SeeD when you have Kiros and Ward to 'accompany' you and why the hell are we walking in the middle of the desert when Esthar has the most advanced cars available?" The happy-go-lucky Laguna was surprised at Squall's outrage. The older man merrily replied "Well, you see Kiros and Ward are taking care of some political issues in Esthar. I didn't hire SeeD. I specifically called for you Squall. I wanted to spend some time with my son." Laguna scratched his head at this. The young brunette shook his head at this and thought to himself _"This is a complete waste of time." _Seeing the dismay in Squall's person, the cheerful man said "I need to attend an important meeting at the Sorceress Memorial. Esthar and other places like Timber and Balamb are conducting a very important experiment." The young leader of Balamb was stunned at what the other man just said. A bit more enthusiastic, Squall asked "What kind of experiment? If Balamb town is involved how come I, as leader of Balamb Garden wasn't informed?" Laguna was deep in thought for a few moments and scratched his head once again as he replied "Well, the people in the town are unaware of our experiments. Only a selected few from Balamb and Trabia are participating in this project. Sorry about that. I'm not good at saying the things I really mean." The president laughed a bit and continued talking "You see, we've managed to find a way to replace GF's. People get twice, three times the power they need without the side effects such as memory loss. The thing is I'm not for it." Quite shocked, Squall retorted "Why not? That kind of technology would help a lot of SeeDs and trainees." The jolly man suddenly became serious as he spoke "I know that but this technology might become a reason to start a war. Why do you think Esthar tries to remain hidden to the world? If others knew what kind of technology we have, other nations will be threatened even though we mean them no harm." The younger man was lost in his thoughts again _"That's why you couldn't ask you own guards to accompany you to the meeting. The people from Esthar don't know about the experiments or the breakthrough. Using a car from Esthar would draw too much attention from possible enemies. I don't like this at all."_ After that, both men were silent for the rest of the trip.

"Target approaching." A voice from the cowboy's portable radio alerted. Irvine walked towards the edge of the ravine where he was told to wait. He could see two moving objects approaching the entrance of the gorge. "Which one is my target?" He asked as he knelt down, taking extra care because of his wound, and viewed into the scope of his rifle. The transmission from where he knelt was bad. A lot of static could be heard from the radio but the sniper managed to make out "man…blue…shirt…" Irvine took his aim and waited for an opportunity to get a clear head shot. He waited for his calm. At this point all he could hear was his own heartbeat. All he could feel was the warm desert wind. All he could see was his target walking beneath him. _This is just another target._ The young man was about to pull the trigger when he noticed the familiar figure walking beside his target. "Squall!" His heart skipped a beat. The sniper then took a closer look at his target. "Laguna? What the hell is going on here?" Thrown aback, Irvine put his rifle down.

"Kinneas, eliminate the target now." The voice said, almost shouting. A million thoughts ran through the auburn haired man's mind as he retorted "I can't kill the President of Esthar." He could here several other voices from the other end of the radio when the same voice spoke again "We'll take care of it. Get yourself out of there or we will shoot you." Irvine's heart was beating like crazy now. "Wait! You can't…" No reply._ Damn it!_ Without a second to waste, the young sniper staggered to his feet, took his rifle and fired into the sky. The loud sound caught the two men's attention. The cowboy screamed at the top of his lungs "Take cover you two!"

Squall heard gunshot coming from the left and easily blocked the bullet bound for his chest with his gunblade. More bullets came so the two men were left with no choice but to take refuge behind a large rock. "I guess they found out I was going to announce the cancellation of the project at the meeting today. Smart bastards." Laguna said as he took out his gun. "It's been a while but my aim is still good" the older man continued. Squall shook his head at this _I definitely hope so._ A bullet shot through Squall's dark brown hair, missing his scalp by a few inches. Seeing the origin of the bullet, the hero of the Sorceress Wars cast Firaga on the gunman.

The cowboy was trying his best to wound as many gunmen as he could in his condition. His wound was bleeding again and the bandage could no longer absorb the blood. "I have to protect him even if it's the last thing I would ever do in this lifetime. It can't…it mustn't happen again." Irvine was getting more and more desperate as the crossfire went on. _He was running out of bullets and it was getting more difficult for him to move. Damn it! There has to be around seven of them left. Squall can't get close enough to use his gunblade or cast magic on them. _Irvine had used up all his remaining bullets, taking down three more gunmen.

Out of nowhere, a large harpoon flew by and knocked down one of the four remaining assassins. A man came running to Laguna's side. "Ward!" Laguna exclaimed. The commotion gave Squall enough time to cast Meteor on two hit men who were standing near each other. The last gunman was knocked unconscious by Kiros who, like Ward came out of nowhere. "I'm sorry we're late." The lean dark man said as walked towards Laguna. "Yeah, we had some trouble with our 'informant.' He didn't want to say who the mastermind of your assassination is." The leader of the trio scratched his head. It took them some time to realize somebody was missing.

Irvine was so relieved that help came so he lay down on the ground. _My body feels so heavy. I've lost too much blood. _The cowboy covered his face with a frail hand to keep the sun away from his eyes. "Kinneas!" a familiar voice called. _Squall? Is that you?_ Before the sniper drifted off to sleep he felt comforting warmth engulf him. He then knew he was safe.

Author's Notes: Waah! That was such a teaser…..hehe…I'm so mean slaps self…o well, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter…I'm gonna start writing the next chapter soon gulp…The plot of this story just became more complicated…huhu…how am I gonna get away with this now?...mopes in a corner…Reviews are appreciated…thanks for reading:D


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Steel Blue Gaze**

Disclaimer: FF8 characters are not mine yadayadayada. It has been a while since I last updated this fic. Me sorry hides under a rock XD

_"Don't do it. Stop!" Irvine's voice echoed in the cold dark room. No one…nobody could hear him scream from where he stood. Even the walls refused to listen to him. He found no comfort in this isolated place even though he was not really alone. Another man stood silently before him with a gun pointed at his auburn head. "Locke, please." The cowboy pleaded as he also too took his aim, his hands shaking in fear of the other stronger gunman. The man with the dark hair whom Irvine called Locke just smiled and pulled the trigger._

_"A dream?"_ The young sniper let his eyes adjust to the bright light. His vision still hazy, he tried to get up from what he assumed was a bed. "You shouldn't get up yet sir. Please rest." A small but feminine voice came from the right side of the bed. A young lady in white was checking Irvine's IV. A bit disorientated, the playboy spoke "Hey pretty lady, where exactly am I? How long was I out?" The nurse checked the papers she was carrying with her and replied "You're in Esthar City's medical facility. You've been out cold for approximately eight days." Irvine tried to recall what had happened before he lost consciousness. _That's right. I remember now. I guess I must've lost too much blood 'coz of the deep wound. _The young man felt for the wound on his thigh but he could not feel any pain at all. Thinking that his leg had been paralyzed, the sniper removed the blanket that covered his injured limb. "The wound is gone." The young man exclaimed. A bit embarrassed at the cowboy's sudden actions the nurse tried to reassure him "Sir may I remind you that the only clothing you have on now is a hospital gown." The young woman blushed at this and continued "The person who brought you here cast Curaga on your wound so it healed instantly. Unfortunately, you did lose a lot of blood so you had to undergo blood transfusion." Enlightened, the cowboy then asked "Who brought me here and where is this person now?" But before the talkative young nurse could tell him who his savior was, the door opened. A man with dark brown hair entered the room. There was silence for a moment then the nurse excused herself then took her leave.

"Was it you Squall? Are you the one who saved me from my ultimate demise?" The cowboy asked teasingly. Squall walked towards Irvine and without warning, punched him in the face. "You're an idiot Kinneas. Why did you agree to take on such a mission?" Dazed from the unexpected blow, the taller man retorted "That hurt damn it! What the hell is your problem? I didn't know much about this mission you know. If I knew who the target was I wouldn't have agreed to do it even if the client killed me." This made the gunblade master angrier. Squall spoke in rage "You're such an idiot. You should've just run away when you had the chance." The auburn haired man was getting angry as well. He replied "Run away and what? Let me watch you get hurt from afar…again? I'm tired of watching Squall." The brunette was getting confused now. "Watching? Nobody ever asked you to watch. I didn't ask for your help back there." Irvine tried to soothe his bruised face with his right hand as he thought about what he wanted to say next. After a while the cowboy's mood suddenly changed. "I guess this is as good a time as any." Irvine said in a hushed tone. The wielder of the gunblade crossed his arms in front of him as he waited impatiently for the other man to talk. The sniper looked away from Squall as he spoke.

"I've been watching you from afar since we met in Galbadia Garden. I knew who you were at that moment and I also knew that you have changed. You have become stronger than the Squall I used to know back in the orphanage and the mission in Deling proved that. My bullet didn't kill the Sorceress' so you had to finish the job for all of us. Things didn't turn out the way we wanted so I ended up watching you being carried off to the Desert Prison and I knew I had to find a way get you out. I volunteered to get Rinoa, an excuse of course so I could save you and the rest. It was more than I've ever expected but I was able to watch you take the lead and united Balamb Garden to fight for a common goal.

I watched you fall for Rinoa with each passing day though you deny it which is so like you. I watched the two of you from the stage where we played Sephie's music. The two of you looked so happy yet unsure then as you both talked beneath the moonlight in Fisherman's Horizon. I watched you risk everything as you went into space to save Rinoa from the Earth station."

Irvine found it difficult to continue but he knew that this may be his only chance. He took a deep breath as he said "I watched as Rinoa held you in her arms at the place where the two of you agreed to meet after the final battle with Ultimecia. I heard from Rinoa that you promised to meet her there. She used to talk a lot about her relationship with you. I guess she trusted me with her secrets of course, that's one of my many charms. Anyway, I thought long and hard about that place and there I was. I just wanted to know that you're ok even though I also knew that you'd be in Rinoa's arms by the time I got there." Irvine felt a heavy burden lifted off his chest.

Sensing that the cowboy had finished, Squall spoke "What now? I have nothing to offer you. I can take care of myself so you don't have to treat me like some weak child."

The cowboy knew Squall well enough and expected that kind of reaction. The auburn-haired man replied "I'm not expecting you to return the feeling Squall. Though it wouldn't hurt if you did but the point is I want you to know that I'm not gonna stand around and watch you get hurt." The brunette retorted coldly "Tch! Suit yourself." At that, Squall left the room. Irvine laid back on his bed and contemplated on what just happened.

Three days had past since Squall last spoke to the cowboy. Irvine had been released the same day he had regained consciousness and had been given accommodations in the Palace. The brunette had come across the sniper a couple of times since he too stayed in the Palace but neither of them took notice of the other person.

The young Garden leader had been gathering information in Laguna's office about Esthar's experiments and the possible enemies. "Squall?" An older man's voice called from the doorway. Surprised, the young man bolted up from the president's chair. Laguna walked towards the brunette and asked "It's not that I don't like you around or anything but if I may ask what you are still doing here in Esthar?" Squall sat down and replied "The research for the experiments involved scientists from Balamb. It's also possible they come from the Garden. If things turn out for the worst, Balamb will also have enemies." Silence filled the room for a moment. Laguna could not resist but speak "Thinking like a good leader should I see. Anyway, I have received word that Kinneas is being called back to Galbadia ASAP. Having known his client's intentions, I don't think he should go back. It's dangerous for him to." The younger man just shrugged, took some papers and left the room.

The presidential palace was quiet that day. The palace employees had gathered on the first floor for Laguna's monthly 'good job everyone' speech. It is commonly known as a status report of Esthar's activities but the happy-go-lucky President calls is otherwise. It had been indeed one long day for everyone.

The brunette walked along one of the familiar empty corridors in the palace He had been thinking a lot about the appropriate course of action and the orders he had to give his subordinates when he got back to Balamb the next day. As the leader of the Balamb SeeDs it was his duty to investigate the matter regarding the Balamb citizens involved. The long walkway eventually lead him to a small balcony overlooking the large city of Esthar. The sun was setting and the sky painted with burning shades of orange and red had never been so beautiful. Squall admired this rare and magnificent view as he leaned on the metallic blue ledge covered with intricate Esthar designs. "Beautiful, isn't it?" a familiar male voice spoke from behind. Irvine sat on the ledge and also admired the view. The man with brown locks remained silent as he turned to leave the place he thought would give him solitude. "Have a safe trip tomorrow Squall." The cowboy spoke as he adjusted his hat to cover his face. The other man paused. Squall did not look at the sniper as he replied "Whatever." When Squall was about to walk towards the balcony entrance, the taller man stood and blocked the young leader's way. Irvine readjusted his hat to show his steel blue eyes. "I'm serious Squall. I won't be able to cover your back starting tomorrow." The brunette did not speak and tried to force his way through. Making his point clear, the taller man did not move. Annoyed, the man clad in black hissed "Get out of my way. I don't need you." Irvine could no longer bare it. He wrapped his slender arms around the shorter man. Squall reacted instantly and tried to break free. The cowboy then whispered almost inaudibly "You needed me once." At this, Squall stopped struggling and looked up to meet the taller man's soft and kind gaze. "Would you like me to remind you?" the auburn-haired youth said caringly. The cowboy's hand reached up to caress the young Balamb Garden leader's smooth cheek. Irvine slowly closed the gap between them as his lips brushed against Squall's. The sniper was not certain what the other man's reaction would be, seeing the surprised expression in the other man's eyes. This would be the second time he had kissed Squall without his consent so Irvine decided to keep this encounter short and sweet but what happened next exceeded his wildest expectations. The brunette spoke "You call that a kiss? I thought you were supposed to be a ladies' man." Squall placed a hand behind the cowboy's head and pulled the puzzled man closer for a deeper and longer kiss. Both men enjoyed being able to caress the other's lips but it went no further than that. When the kiss finally ended and the men were at a comfortable talking distance from each other, the young leader spoke again "Don't think of that kiss as an act of love or even pity. It was…" Irvine interrupted "It was an act of the body…not of the mind." Squall nodded at what the other man said. The cowboy was hurt at this but decided not to make it an issue. _Squall, when are you going to let go of the pain?_ The sniper felt the awkward feeling of silence setting in so he said "I guess we have to prepare for the long trip for FH tomorrow." The brunette did not understand. "We?" Squall asked. Irvine has always enjoyed it when Squall looked confused. _He looks so adorable_. The cowboy thought. "Yes, WE are going back to Fisherman's Horizon tomorrow. I haven't decided if I should go back to Galbadia after that but maybe I should pay Balamb Garden a visit." Irvine showed his most charming smile. The young leader could not help but show a hint of red on his face. _Irvine actually looks good when he smiles like that. _ Squall had to smack himself out of his inaudible monologue. "Something wrong, Squall?" Irvine asked with a concerned look on his face. "It's nothing. I have to check some documents one last time." The brunette waved at the cowboy as he left the balcony. Irvine continued to admire the darkening sky. _I don't know what's gonna happen next but I sure am glad you didn't push me away this time Squall._ The thought left a lingering smile on the cowboy's face.

The next day, both men had said their goodbyes to the people they have come to know during their stay in Esthar. Neither of them knew what the future holds for them but they had no choice but to move forward.

Author's Notes: I'm pretty excited to know what's gonna happen to them in FA. Heeeheee. In case you're wondering, the nurse in Irvine's hospital room is totally fictional (I don't think she'd really be embarrassed to see a half-naked man right?). Locke is a character from FF6 (Locke Cole). He is also a ladies man like Irvine. I wonder if he'll be mentioned again in this fic. O well, be seeing ya in the next chapter. Thanks for reading :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Women and Liquor**

Disclaimer: FF8 characters are not mine. If you happen to dislike the idea of two men showing affection for each other please press the back button now. I'd really appreciate comments and reviews especially on my writing style. Thanks a bunch. Enjoy the fic:D

_No matter how much you smile the sadness you keep inside manages to seep through the glint of an eye._

The two young fighters had finally arrived in the peaceful town called Fisherman's Horizon. The past two days of their journey had been dull and uneventful. The two men had little to say to each other on the way to their destination. Irvine had been unusually quiet during the trip but knowing the silent demeanor of the young Garden leader, this did not bother Squall at all.

The small town had been serene as always. Nothing much had changed since the last time the two men had been there. The people were still unenthusiastic of having outsiders stay there but they provided any service a traveler needed. Night had already fallen when two young men arrived at the only inn in FH. Like the other buildings in town, it was old and the walls were made up of old metal sheets. The inn was small and had only two floors. The innkeeper stayed behind a makeshift desk on the first floor. The reception area was not at all grand. Unlike the classy-looking couches provided for customers in the hotel in Deling City, the FH reception room was very unwelcoming. The innkeeper's desk was rundown and dirty due to the lack of upkeep. Dusty boxes occupied most of the space on the first floor and neither sofas nor chairs were made available for the customer's convenience. Across the inn's entrance beside the receptionist's desk, a dark narrow staircase lead to the second floor where the guest room was.

Squall was talking to the innkeeper when he noticed Irvine staring into space with the same blank expression he wore in the past couple of days. _Kinneas has been like this ever since we left Esthar. It's none of my business but this just isn't like him._ The cowboy had been leaning on the wall next to the inn's entrance. He had not said a word since they entered the establishment and this was odd since the innkeeper was a young woman. "We only have one room in this inn. But we do change the bedcovers once in a while." The innkeeper's voice interrupted the brunette's contemplations. Regaining his composure, the young leader managed to say "We'll take it."_ It's not like we have much of a choice anyway. _Squall walked all the way to the foot of the stairs when he realized his companion did not move from where he stood beside the doorway. "Kinneas? Do you plan to stand there all day?" The sniper snapped out of his trance and without a word, followed the brunette to the second floor._ What's going on inside your head Kinneas? _

The room on the second floor was as small as the reception area on the first floor. It had one window that had a satisfactory view of the sea. The small cabinet that stood beneath the window looked dusty and unused. A door leading to a tiny bathroom stood beside the entrance of the room. There were three beds in the room, two of which were joined in a double-decker fashion. The double-decker stood beside the wall opposite the window while the single bed stood beside an adjacent wall right across the bathroom door. Both men were tired from their long trip so after the innkeeper left, they both decided to call it a night.. The brunette took the single bed and Irvine took the lower bunk of the other bed.

Only a few hours had passed when Squall suddenly bolted up from his bed. His body was shaking and he was bathed in sweat. The young man's nightmares had come to him again that night. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness surrounding him. The dim moonlight that seeped through the room's only window provided enough light for the brunette to see his hand in front of him. _This has to stop. _The young gunblade master wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked around the room. He could see from where he sat that the lower bunk of the other bed was empty and the covers were still a mess. _What are you up to Kinneas?_ Without a second thought, the young man got dressed and headed for the only place he thought the cowboy would be, the town's pub.

The pub was located on a makeshift pier right across the inn. Similar to the inn, it looked really old and ready to give way but just like the inn, it was still functional. When the young Garden leader went into the pub he immediately felt the unwelcoming stares from the men drinking there but Squall being Squall, he did not mind them. He never did care about what people thought about him. Sitting at the corner of the bar, a melancholic cowboy had been drinking alone. The brunette had a few of drinks by himself before he decided to sit beside the sniper. Irvine did not seem to notice company as he finished another glass of liquor. "What's up?" Squall asked. Coming back to reality, the sniper replied "Oh it's you, Squall. How long have you been sitting there?" Finishing a shot of liquor, the leader said "Long enough. What's wrong with you? You haven't been your annoying self recently." Feeling a bit tipsy, Irvine slapped his forehead as he retorted "Annoying? Ouch. That hurt." Then the sniper forced himself to let out a short laugh. "Does it have anything to do with your orders to head back to Galbadia?" Squall inquired. The taller man became silent for a moment and said "It's too noisy in here. Let's talk outside." Irvine stood up and motioned for Squall to follow. Both men left the pub a little drunk from the alcohol they consumed.

Squall walked behind Irvine along the dark and empty streets of FH. The brunette was not sure if the cowboy was in his right mind at that point so he suggested "We should head back to the inn. It's late." The cowboy simply looked at Squall and flashed his trademark charming smile. They eventually came to the place where Selphie's concert was held. Both men agreed that seemed like a lifetime ago. Irvine sat at the spot where the stage had been and gazed at the stars above him. The brunette stood a few feet from the other man and kept his eyes on the sniper's troubled eyes. "You might not give a damn about anything I have to say but please hear me out just this once." Squall remained silent as he took a few steps closer to the other man and continued looking into the cowboy's eyes. "Squall, I don't know what I'm gonna do from now on. If I don't go back to Galbadia, they'll probably strip me off my sniper certification. It's pretty hard to admit but that's the only thing I have going for me now. Without that I don't know what I'm gonna do but the thing is I don't want to…never mind. Forget I said anything." Irvine did not notice that Squall had moved closer towards him until the brunette stood before the sniper. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. With or without any certification, you're still the best gunman." The young leader said this as he knelt down in front of the man clad in khaki. Irvine argued "But I won't be able to help SeeD with…" The brunette had wrapped the auburn-haired man in a warm embrace as he caressed the other man's lips with his. The taller man was quite surprised at Squall's initiative but he passionately returned the kiss without delay._ If only I could tell you the truth Squall._

For the first time in months the brunette did not wake up to the terrors of his recurring nightmares. Squall felt an unsure yet gentle hand caress his face. The unsure hand then stroked his dark brown hair. The sun shun brightly in the room telling the sleepy man that it was already midday. The young leader felt the warm and smooth alabaster skin beneath him. _What the? _The auburn-haired man chuckled when he saw the shock in Squall's face. "I guess we had a little too much to drink last night." Irvine mused as he planted a kiss on the other man's forehead. The gunblade master immediately got up only to see his and the cowboy's clothes on the floor. Squall tried to recall what had happened the night before. The liquor, the conversation beneath the stars, the unexpected kiss, the noisy and clumsy way they returned into their room as the passion took hold of them, the discarded clothes and the wonderful sex. The sniper also sat up to pat the brunette's bare back. "Don't worry about it Squall. As you've said before, we're just satisfying some physical need. No feelings attached." Irvine smiled as he spoke but the sadness behind his words was obvious even to the other man. The sniper continued by saying in a cheerful manner "What you did for me last night really helped get me back on my feet. Thanks a lot Squall." The brunette reached for the taller man's long wavy locks that rested delicately on his pale shoulders. "Let's just hope you stay on your feet from now on. Drinking definitely doesn't suit you." Squall said. The cowboy could not tell if the other man was being serious or was just teasing him so he replied "Drinking and women are part of my charm." Without warning, the gunblade master hit the bragging sniper hard with a pillow and stood up to get changed. "Did I say something wrong?" the confused cowboy cried.

After getting dressed and eating a quick brunch, the two men went to the seaport to ask if there was a ship bound for Balamb town that day. "We don't have any ships heading for Balamb 'til next week but we do have one bound for Dollet this afternoon." the old fisherman said. "We're kind of in a hurry so what time does this boat leave exactly?" Squall inquired. "It's gona sail in 15 minutes but I don't think you kids should be going to Dollet now. I heard strange men in black suits are all over the place. Rumors say they're looking for something, asking the townspeople weird questions and the like." The two young men looked at each other and nodded simultaneously. _Those men might be working for the guy who ordered for President Laguna's assassination. We need to investigate this matter._

_Dollet eh? It has been a while since I last visited that place. Locke I… _"Kinneas! Hurry up. The boat is gonna leave without us." Squall exclaimed as he ran towards the ship. The men managed to catch the ship heading for Dollet. The cowboy did not want the brunette to see his anxiety so he tried to act as normal as he possibly could. What awaits the young sniper in Dollet and who is this Locke? The two men are in the middle of something that might just initiate a war. Who is the guy responsible for all these events? Squall had his share of recurring nightmares. Do his dreams have anything to do with him regressing to his old loner and mistrusting self? As long as they move forward they will discover all the answers.

Author's Notes: gasp That's what you get when your writing style runs on pure enthusiasm. wink wink I apologize for the very discrete love scene coughs I'm an avid reader of shounen-ai/yaoi too but though I may read these things I definitely won't write it :P The length of the fic has gone longer than expected. This was supposed to be one of those short one-shot fics but I guess there's no turning back now. Thanks for reading this. Comments and Reviews are much appreciated. 'til next time:D


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Everything to See the Sunset**

Disclaimer: FF characters are not mine blah blah blah…I made Irvine suffer enough from Squall's issues so I'm gona be nice to our favorite cowboy this time. Ok so here's the thing, I was too lazy to play the game again to check Dollet so I based most of the town's description on memory and my imagination so don't crucify me for this :P btw please tell me if my chapters are too long. I get carried away a lot.

Dollet beach is place known for its magnificent sunsets. The town itself has a reputation of being the best tourist spot in the northwestern continent. The streets are always crowded with frequent vacationers who never fail to visit during the holidays. The special dishes served in local restaurants give foreigners a treat they would never forget. Though the lively sights and sounds from the pubs and mini-casino satisfy much of the tourists' entertainment needs, visitors can not neglect the solitude and inspiration Dollet town provides. This particular town possesses several unique wonders. A very talented artist displays his work in his home and travelers are always welcomed to view and awe at his masterpieces. A well-known landmark where one can have peace and quiet is Dollet's old concrete bridge that leads to the non-operational communication tower. Dollet is a tranquil and best place to spend the holiday.

"_Yawn_. Finally! I'm sick and tired of seeing water all around me." The charming ladies man said as he stretched his arms towards the sky. The two companions had just disembarked from the ship they took from FH and they have never been so thankful to be on land again. The ship had brought them closer to Balamb but they did not expect the ship to make several stops before reaching Dollet. Content to feel the steady earth beneath him, Irvine complained "Yo Squall, why didn't you tell me we were boarding a merchant ship? I should have swum back to Balamb. That would have been a lot faster." Quite annoyed and disoriented from the long trip the other man replied "If I knew that, we would've been in Balamb 3 days ago. It's a good thing I was able to contact Xu. Balamb Garden will be ready in case the rumors about the men in black suits are true. The next ship to Balamb doesn't leave until tomorrow morning so don't get any funny ideas. This isn't a vacation." The happy-go-lucky cowboy was in high spirits that day. Could it be because of the previous night he spent with the brunette in his quarters on the ship? Irvine still was not warming up to the idea of Squall being "a friend with benefits". Nevertheless, he was happy he got this close to the guy.

It was a little past noon when the men arrived and the town was lively as always. They found their way through the narrow cobbled streets of the town that eventually led them to the Dollet Hotel. The ambiance of this particular hotel was more hospitable compared to the inn in FH. The floor was covered with a carpet of intricate design, furnished classy sofas provided comfort for the weary travelers and the reception there was outstanding.

"Two rooms please." Squall said to the hotel receptionist. "Aww. We're not sharing a room this time?" the disappointed charmer whined. The brunette simply ignored the other man as he took the room keys from the receptionist. Squall tossed the one of the keys to the other man as he walked to the direction of the rooms as he said "I'm going to bed." The energetic cowboy couldn't help but say "Going to bed already? Man, you really have to build more endurance." Irvine knew Squall blushed at that last remark. Without facing the other man, the exhausted and embarrassed man in black retorted "Say what you want. I don't care." Laughing in the inside, the cowboy announced "I'm gona go sightseeing and maybe do some investigating...on some pretty girls." Squall did not care to listen to what the taller man just said since he only had one thing in mind, sleep.

_How ironic. I never thought I'd ever be here again. Locke, why did you do it? Tch. I was such an immature fool then. Squall, if you only knew how happy I am to have this chance with you even if it's not exactly how I wanted it to be. If only I could show you my bloodstained hands and my wretched soul. I'm damned for all eternity._

Irvine had preoccupied himself too much with his thoughts that he failed to realize he had stopped right in front of a local pub. _Even now you haunt me._ The cowboy knew this establishment well. There were some changes but the structure of the building was the same. The pub had two floors, the drinks were served mainly on the first floor and there was a small casino on the second floor. What was unique to this place was the small bridge on the second floor. It led to a room in the building that stood right across the pub. The bridge was the only way anybody could get into the room that was located in the other building. _I see the bridge is intact. Maybe I should see if the room is still there._ The auburn-haired man walked into the noisy pub and climbed up the stairs that lead to the second floor. The second floor was unoccupied since it was still too early for the casino to open. Irvine turned the knob of the door that lead to the bridge._ That's strange. It's unlocked. _The cowboy made his way across the bridge and stood in front of another door that led into the special hidden room. The man stood in front of the door for some time, his heart was palpitating, body sweating and his breathing, fast. "Sharpshooter Irvine Kinneas. It's been a while since we've last met." A familiar voice of an older man said from behind. When the sniper turned around to see who it was his heart stopped. His body froze. "It's…it's…it's you." He managed to stutter. Irvine continued "It can't be." The other man wore a black suit and dark glasses that conceal the cruel intent in his eyes. The man was in his late 40's, his hair turning gray but he still had this commanding aura about him that other men his age did not possess. The unnamed man spoke "I see you've brought a young friend with you. Do you intend to kill him in there as well? You still are the bloodthirsty sniper I used to know correct?" Irvine could not speak nor move from where he stood. "So many innocent lives have been lost. By now, I thought you of all people understand why snipers are loners by nature." The older man walked by Irvine and entered the special room. "By the way, the job you did for me in Esthar was your worst yet. You do know failure is unacceptable. You better watch your back or you might lose something important to you." The overpowering man said as he closed the door behind him. The cowboy collapsed to his knees after his encounter with this mysterious acquaintance.

An evening spent in Dollet was time well-spent for most people. The town became livelier with the opening of the casinos and the exclusive bars. The tourists became wild as they partied both in the bars and on the streets. Meanwhile, in a dark hotel room, Squall just woke up from his long nap. _7pm. I've been out that long? It's still noisy outside. I guess Dollet has done well for itself since its liberation during the last time I came here. _The reenergized brunette heard cheerful voices of young women as they strolled beneath Squall's room window. _Kinneas? He might be up to no good again. _Setting the bed covers aside, the young man splashed water on his face in the bathroom, fixed his hair and left his room wearing only his plain dirty white shirt and black leather pants. He knocked on his companion's room door several times and got no reply. _What the hell are you up to now? Damn that guy. He's causing way too much trouble. I should have left him to rot back in the Esthar desert._ The exasperated man had no choice but to look for his missing friend outside the hotel.

A crowd of both tourists and local people had gathered in the town square. According to the fliers and posters Squall saw on the way to the area, a town event was to be held that night and everybody was invited. The town square was illuminated by colorful festival lights and there was party music all around. Everyone who attended was having fun except for one brunette who never fancied parties and special events. The young man looked for the troublesome playboy and found several guys who tried to act charming but not exactly the lady-charmer he wanted to talk to. _I don't see any men in black suits here. Maybe the rumors were wrong. In any case, I need to confirm this. Where the hell is that idiot? _Squall could no longer stand the crowded square and the merry people so he decided to find a quiet place where he could hear himself think. There were three roads leading to the town square and he remembered taking the street that led to the communication tower. _I doubt people would go there at this hour knowing that monsters often spawn in that place. _With his gunblade in hand, the SeeD leader walked towards the quiet and dimly lit bridge. The brunette then noticed a figure leaning on the concrete railing of the bridge.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" The figure said. "Aren't you supposed to be flirting with the women in town?" the brunette replied. Irvine stepped into the dim light, his face hidden beneath the shadows of his hat. The cowboy replied teasingly "Are you sure you won't mind?" Squall turned away from the other man as he said "Tch! I could care less. Anyway, let's get straight to the point. What's wrong with you this time?" Shocked by the other man's keen sense of observation, the taller man scratched his head as he retorted "You know me that well huh? I didn't think you would notice." The brunette did not care to explain how he knew something was wrong. He remained silent as he waited for his question to be answered. Knowing the inevitable moment has come, Irvine had no choice but to tell him the truth.

"My hands are stained by the blood of the innocent, Squall. It's not in my records but I used to be part of a top-secret agency that trained hired assassins before I joined Galabadia Garden at age 14." The man paused as he chuckled then continued talking "Looking back, the only reason I became an exceptional sniper is because of the training I received from professional killers. You see, unlike you guys, I have no talent to wield the gunblade like you and Seifer can. I can't fight the way Zell does and I'm not as smart as Selphie or Quistis. None of the Gardens had any use for me that time so a man named Garland took me in when no one else would. I thought I finally had a family but I was wrong. I found out Garland led the agency that kill for money. He taught me how to use my first rifle. Having nowhere else to go, I did what I could and my life would have been like hell too if I didn't meet Locke Cole. I was 10 years old then and Locke was 6 years older but he lived the same kind of life that I did so we got along fine." The sniper paused, his breathing noticeably uneven. "You cared for him did you?" Squall asked to break the silence. Irvine simply nodded. "What happened to him?" the brunette inquired. "Locke and I trained together but we were more than just your ordinary training buddies." Squall could not help but interrupt "You love him then?" The taller man simply said "I did and…I killed him in this very town." Bewildered by the other man's confession, the brunette was speechless. "Garland knew Cole and I were his greatest asset in the business. We killed everyone Garland ordered us to even though we knew it was wrong. One day we just decided to quit that kind of life but Garland would not hear any of it. To show his authority over our lives, he made us play a game. You've seen the local pub with the bridge on the second floor right, Squall? That used to be owned by the agency and the hidden room on the second floor used to be a storage room for guns and ammunition. Garland locked Locke and I in the storage room together. The rule of the game was simple who kills the other first in a span of an hour gets to leave the room without punishment. If neither of us kills the other in an hour, both of us will be shot and killed by Garland's men. I did what I could to live, escaped that same night when Garland thought I came to my senses and that's when Martin, Headmaster of Galbadia found me. I never did look back since"

Before Squall could react to Irvine's story, a loud explosion caused a commotion back in the town square. The two men rushed to the scene expecting the worst. The people were confused and afraid as they tried to run away from the square. Children were separated from their parents and were left crying on the streets. The elderly simply went with the strong flow of the escaping mob as they prayed for their own safety. A raging inferno that came from an unnatural source consumed the buildings surrounding the town square. "What's going on here?" the horrified cowboy cried out as he saw the corpses of the people he came across not so long ago. Then men heard a vile laughter within the flames. "How do you like my son's work?" Garland said as he appeared behind Irvine and Squall. "Kadaj, show yourself son." The old man continued. Both men saw the most terrifying person…thing they have ever seen. _He's…he's not human. _Squall tightened his grip on his gunblade, Lionheart while Irvine loaded his trusty Exeter. "Let's see how you do against a perfect being." Garland mused.

The fire raged on, consuming most of the town's buildings. The beauty that was Dollet was no more. Cries of pain and grief had replaced the cheerful laughter that took place just moments ago. The foul smell of burnt corpses overpowered the scent of the salty sea surrounding Dollet. The creature with bright green eyes and platinum hair, the source of all this chaos simply smiled at the two men who stood before it.

Author's Notes: umm…did I just end the chapter at a bad moment? Heeeheee… The joys of writing your own fic… I think the ending is finally in sight… NOT… I'm gona focus on my art more in the meantime. I'm gona work on an IrvinexSquall fanart. This is gona be my first fanart with two guys in it. Feel free to visit my gallery at sajem99. Comments and reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks for reading my fic. Be seeing ya in the next chapter:P


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Where We Stand**

Disclaimer: FF characters are not mine. Bah. I apologize for taking so long to update. This fic is 6 chapters too long '. Might as well give it my all coz this might as well be the last fic I'll ever write. I honestly prefer reading fan fictions than writing them :P

The town, set ablaze and the endless cries of the women and children echoed in the background. The deafening sound of metal clashing against metal competed with the cries. The stench of blood and the ashes of the once marvelous town that was Dollet filled the air.

"Get out of the way you idiot!"

A powerful blast of fire from the back, the smell of burning leather, the petrified expression of steel blue eyes beneath the crimson brown hair, the loud sound his gunblade made when it fell on the cobbled street, these were the last things Squall's senses perceived before everything went dark.

"I think he's regaining consciousness." A young woman exclaimed.

"Yeah, I think you're right." an excited man continued.

A woman with a more mature voice commanded "Get doctor Kadowaki immediately."

Squall could make out the sound of footsteps running about. When he briefly opened his eyes he could vaguely see the face of the familiar doctor.

"He still needs rest. No need to worry." The doctor assured the people in the room.

After hearing those words, Squall lost consciousness once again.

_The young leader of the Balamb SeeDs saw himself walking on barren land. He heard nothing but the sound of his own footsteps, saw nothing but the endless dry sandy earth before him that lead to nowhere. "I'm having this dream again." The young man walked for what seemed to be miles but he saw no end to this desolate place. Finally, he fell to his knees. He was tired. Tired of this endless road, he was tired of being alone. Suddenly, the scenery changed. The grayish mist that covered the dark gray sky unveiled a bright blue atmosphere. The warm light that was the sun revealed the luscious grassland filled with colorful and fragrant flowers that replaced the dreary barren plains. "This place…" Squall stood up and realized he could see a familiar house made of stone that overlooked the cerulean sea. "The orphanage…No…I know what happens next in this dream. No matter how much I wish for it, nobody will be here to find me." In his dismay, the young man buried his face in his hands and wept. Knowing how this dream would end, he waited for the darkness to engulf him in his grief but to his surprise, a warm figure came and comforted him with a warm embrace. When he finally lifted his head to see who this person is, everything became hazy except for those charming blue eyes. The one who provided him comfort smiled and everything around him grew bright._

"Squall! I'm so glad you're awake." Selphie exuberantly said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Zell was in the verge of tears as well but he was not about to show the women in the room how soft he really was. Quistis was in high-spirits as she spoke "We're all glad you're ok."

The brunette looked around and realized that he was in the Balamb Garden infirmary. He could not deny that he was glad to be back in Garden and to see the faces of his comrades but something…someone was missing. Squall sat up from the bed then without hesitation, asked the gang "Where's Irvine?" His three companions where dumbfounded by the sincere concern the man before them showed.

"He's talking with Esthar's president in the office." a woman in her SeeD uniform replied as she entered the room.

"Xu!" They all exclaimed.

The woman continued by saying "Squall I know this isn't a good time but we need you to head to the office now."

Squall got off the bed and seeing the concern in his friends' eyes he assured them by saying "I'll be fine." Xu was about to leave the room when the brunette asked her "By the way, what happened back in Dollet? How did I end up in the infirmary?"

Xu replied "Thanks to your report about the suspicious men in Dollet, we sent some of our SeeDs to investigate. One of our informants said that there was going to be an attack that night so we sent our troops there. Unfortunately, majority of Dollet had already been destroyed when we arrived. We found you severely injured and Kinneas was fending off a human-like creature. I believe Irvine can fill you in with the details on that. Selphie cast her Full-Cure on you and that's the reason you were able to make it here in the infirmary."

"What do you know about the creature that caused havoc that night?" Squall asked as he put his shoes on.

"That's what they're discussing in the office right now." Xu answered.

From outside the 3rd floor office, several men can be heard talking in a very serious tone. When Squall and his comrades entered the room, they were all surprised to see Headmaster Cid, as well as Laguna and his colleagues, discussing what seemed to be a battle plan.

"Squall, I'm glad you're here. Garland just declared war against Balamb for interfering in Dollet.

We need to discuss our strategy now." Cid said with such urgency.

"Our informants have told us the attack will begin tomorrow." Kiros said as he looked over some papers.

"We're not exactly sure why Garland is hesitating. He could easily destroy Garden with his new weapon, Kadaj." Ward added.

"Maybe he's underestimating us? That's why he's giving us time to prepare for battle" Xu said from behind Squall.

From the corner of the room, Squall had not noticed the cowboy who silently listened to the discussions that when on in the office. Upon hearing Xu's remark, Irvine finally spoke "He's nothing like that. Garland is the type of person who'd kick the enemy when they're down."

Laguna had a grave expression on his face as he added "In any case, reinforcements from Esthar will arrive tomorrow." The president looked at the silent sniper and asked "Irvine can you tell us anything about Garland's new weapon? Was Esthar's technology successful at making a man that strong?"

"He looked human but I don't think any man who had a GF junctioned can create such an inferno. What's more terrifying was the fact that…" Irvine took a moment to recall the events that took place a couple of nights ago. "…his body was engulfed in flames yet his skin remained as pale as death. His body didn't burn at all."

Laguna was having a migraine at this point as he said "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have allowed such research to begin in the first place."

"This is not the right time to know who's at fault here. Our priority is to protect the people in Balamb town as well as the Garden. The SeeDs as well as the classmen with high rank have to be ready for the attack tomorrow. Xu already told me about the situation of Garden and about the SeeDs who were injured in Dollet so this is the plan…" Squall spoke with such authority that he surprised everybody in the room. Even the cowboy was left to awe in the young leader's determined person. Squall discussed his plan thoroughly to his comrades and all were in agreement with the proposed tactic.

Balamb Garden was restless that night. SeeDs were still running around the halls, making last minute preparations before resting for the big battle the next day. A certain cowboy was standing at his own silent little corner at the back of the empty classroom on the second floor. Irvine was in to deep in thought to notice the young brunette observing him from the doorway. Curious, Squall walked up to the preoccupied man.

"Don't tell me you're nervous about tomorrow?"

Irvine snapped out of his trance. He took a moment to regain his composure then replied "Me? Nervous? Nah, of course not."

The cowboy tried to act cool and even forced a smile on his face but Squall could tell that something was bothering the other man. The brunette moved in closer to Irvine, caressing the sniper's soft cheek. The taller man avoided Squall's gaze and just stood still. Seeing no response from the auburn-haired man, the brunette moved even closer for a kiss but Irvine avoided the kiss as well by looking away.

"Something the matter?" Squall asked.

"I…I can't do this anymore, Squall."

"What?"

"…I can't…I don't want to be just a friend with benefits…not anymore."

Squall took a few steps back, keeping some distance between them. Irvine looked at the other man but the brunette was now the one avoiding eye contact.

"Where do we stand at this point?" Irvine cried out.

"What are you saying?"

Tension was building up between them and neither of them wanted this conversation to continue but they both knew they can't just leave it as it is. The cowboy was very confused. He had been thinking things through all day and he thought he knew what he had to say to Squall but standing before the person he loved made it more difficult for him to think with each passing second.

"…Why…why did you save me from Kadaj's attack? You pushed me away from danger and used your own body as a shield. It doesn't make sense."

Squall looked at the other man and said "You were with me during that time on the Lunar Base and I remember you asking me why I decided to go into space without having the slightest idea on how to get back."

"It's because…you wanted to save Rinoa…" The light in Irvine's eyes grew dimmer, sadder.

"…then why do you think I jumped between you and a blazing inferno without hesitation?"

"…it's because you wanted to…" Irvine couldn't bring himself to hope that Squall cared for the cowboy the same way he once did for Rinoa. _Squall loved Rinoa_. Irvine's mind hissed.

The brunette turned his back on his comrade and continued talking "It's hard to admit but I do make people worry even if I didn't ask them to. I don't understand why they would worry about someone who could care less about how they feel. I honestly think that it would make my life a lot simpler if people didn't know me at all that way they don't have to think about me and my well-being. Rinoa was different. She could easily say what she wanted and express herself freely without hesitation. I guess that kinda rubbed off on me for a bit…while it…while we lasted anyway." Squall paused.

_Why are you telling me this now? Is Squall having second thoughts about Rinoa NOW?_

"…but that's beside the point. What I really want to say is that it's odd that people show concern for someone who doesn't want it. But it's really something when a person like me who could care less about anybody could actually care for an idiot like you so much that it almost got me killed."

Irvine was speechless. The cowboy thought that whatever Squall and he shared had always been one-sided but he was overjoyed to be proved wrong that moment.

"Let's just have fun for tonight. Tomorrow is a big day for all of us." The brunette said as he walked up to the taller man and untied Irvine's auburn locks. Squall had never looked so seductive, the cowboy thought.

"But I haven't told you everything about Garland and Locke-"

Squall silenced Kinneas with a deep and passionate kiss. "Tell me later" the brunette mumbled as he continued kissing the cowboy.

Irvine allowed himself to feel the brunette's smooth skin from beneath Squall's shirt. The cowboy's hand caressed Squall's firm chest the down to his back. In the meantime, the other hand slowly unzipped Squall's dark leather pants. By the time the cowboy had reached this point, the brunette had already discarded the taller man's coat and had moved on to removing Irvine's vest and pants. Both men felt bliss with their time together alone in the classroom that night. Irvine felt happiest this particular night now that he knew that what they did wasn't just for pleasure anymore.

Without them noticing, dawn had come. The sun slowly rose, its' warm light illuminating the empty room they were in. From what they could hear from the room, the Garden had already come to life with the sounds of several loud footsteps and the voices of the students. Balamb Garden was now preparing for the battle against Garland.

Squall still in his arms, Irvine spoke "I think you should go out there now. They're all waiting for you to lead them."

"I guess you're right" the brunette replied as he released the cowboy from his embrace.

The two men got dressed and were on their way to the door when Irvine said

"I've just realized. This room isn't usually empty. Some of Quistis' groupies normally hang out here."

Squall shrugged the idea off and opened the door. To the men's surprise, Zell fell on his back right before them. Apparently, the blond had been sleeping outside the classroom. He had been leaning on the door.

"I guess that solves the mystery eh Irvine?" Squall said softly to the cowboy.

Irvine smiled at this then helped the disoriented Zell to his feet.

"You guys should go to the front gate now. Everybody has been asked to assemble there." Zell said as he massaged his aching back.

The men rode on the elevator to the 1st floor then walked toward the front gate. The battle ahead won't be easy and they knew that. Irvine was going to fight against the only father he ever knew and Squall was going to battle against a powerful monster in a man's form. They were both excited to test their skills yet nervous at the same time. When the men basked beneath the rays of the morning sun, they realized that they were not alone in their endeavors. Squall and Irvine had each other, their comrades, as well as the entire Garden with them in this battle. The battle will be tough but they had no choice but to keep moving forward.

center **END** /center 

Author's Notes: I just want to thank those who reviewed. Thanks so much for talking the time to 'encourage' me to write more. I'm currently playing FF8 again and it was the first time I took Irvine to the Lunar Base. The conversation between Squall and Irvine in Ragnarok was really interesting. While I was playing the other day I had the urge to write another fic (it's short, promise Dim Contemplations ). Please take the time to read it as well. Thanks for reading my fic :D


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